The FRAM 3 Click is a Click board™ that carries a ferroelectric RAM module. Ferroelectric RAM, also known as FRAM, is a non-volatile memory type, with characteristics that are comparable to much faster DRAM memory modules. It offers much faster alternative to common serial FLASH and EEPROM modules, which use the conventional technologies. FRAM 3 Click uses the MB94R330, a serial FRAM module from Fujitsu Semiconductor LTD. FRAM embedded IC is proven utility in security applications such as IC cards.

FRAM 3 Click is supported by a mikroSDK compliant library, which includes functions that simplify software development.

The FRAM 3 Click utilizes the MB94R330, which is an FRAM (Ferroelectric Random Access Memory) authentication IC using the ferroelectric process and silicon gate CMOS process technologies for forming the nonvolatile memory cells.

The MB94R330 adopts an original communication protocol based on the two-wire serial interface (I2C BUS), a hardware cryptographic macro and a proprietary control core. It is suitable for detecting cloned peripherals and accessories which is used in an electric equipment such as a printer, multifunction printer and so on.

Ferroelectric technology is still being developed and perfected, but the advantages have already been demonstrated. This technology exploits the properties of ferroelectric materials to retain the electric field after they have been exposed to it, the same way the ferromagnetic materials retain their magnetic field. This phenomenon is employed to polarize the FRAM cells and store the information. One of the areas that still need to be improved is the thermal instability, especially on high temperatures. When the ferroelectric material reaches the Curie temperature, its properties are degraded.

Therefore, the high temperature might damage the content of the FRAM module. This is illustrated by the data retention period: while working at 55˚C, the data retention period is 10 years. Still, combined with the endurance of 1010 read/write cycles at bus write speed, this type of memory still represents an ideal solution for applications that have to do a frequent writing to the non-volatile memory locations.

This Click board™ uses the I2C communication protocol, allowing very fast serial clock rates. To ensure reliable data transaction and to avoid accidental write to the memory array, the device employs certain protection mechanisms.

The MB94R330 supports the I2C bus, and operates as a peripheral device. The role of the communication for the I2C bus is different from "Controller" side and "Peripheral" side. The controller side has the authority to initiate control. Furthermore, the party line can be connected which connects two or more peripheral devices to one controller. In this case, the peripheral side has each unique address respectively, and after specifying the address on the peripheral side, the controller side starts to communicate.

The FRAM 3 Click is suitable for detecting cloned peripherals and accessories which is used in an electric equipment such as a printer, multifunction printer and so on.

• Interface: I²C
• Compatibility: mikroBUS™
• Dimensions: 28.6 x 25.4mm
• Input Voltage: 3.3V

• Schematic
• MB94R330 Datasheet
• mikroSDK
• GitHub